The Wedding Date
by Alessandra1
Summary: Edward left a year ago,leaving Bella devastated & they haven't spoken since. Now Alice and Jasper are getting married-Bella's the maid of honor, Edward the best man. Bella wants Jacob to travel with her & act as her 'date' over the wkend. Here we go..
1. Chapter 1

_Okay, so this is my first ever fanfic. I've never done anything like this before, so please be gentle. :) I saw 'The Wedding Date' movie the other day and got to thinking what that (loosely) may be like in the __Twilight__ world. In this story, Edward (and the Cullens) moved after graduation 4 years ago and left Bella devastated. They haven't spoken since. Now Alice and Jasper are getting married- Bella is the maid of honor, Edward the best man. Bella will try to enlist Jacob to travel with her and help get her through the wedding weekend. Hope you enjoy it! The Wedding Date and the Twilight Saga are not my property. All characters belong to their respective owners._

The Wedding Date

"You're not serious, right?" I asked.

Alice laughed that tinkling laugh of hers. "Of course Bella! Who else did you _think_ I would want to be my maid of honor?"

I grimaced, something I could get away with over the phone. "Alice, you know I love you, but I really don't think it's a great id-,"

"Oh, enough already! This is supposed to be the happiest day of my life, you're not REALLY going to suggest I do that without you by my side?" she asked, sniffling a little towards the end. Ugh. I could feel myself caving in already.

"Alright Alice. Only for you. But NO crazy dress. I mean it! And nothing in the pastel color spectrum!" I ordered. Or tried to. Alice always got her way in the end anyway.

Alice gasped on the other end of the line. "As if I would really use something so cliché as those colors. Don't worry Bella, it'll all be fine. You have the easiest maid of honor's job in history. I'm going to get your flight booked and accommodations taken care of. I'll even order your dress for you. All you've got to do is show up."

I sighed in resignation and threw myself on my bed. "Well, when you put it that way, it doesn't sound so bad. But you really don't need to take care of the flight and everything, Alice."

"Consider it done, Bella. In two weeks, you will be here to see me down the aisle to marry my Jazz." I could practically see the stars in her eyes and I couldn't help but smile at her happiness. Before Alice and her family had moved away so that her dad could be some hotshot surgeon in New York City, Alice and I were like sisters. I still remember the day she met Jasper at school. He was a new student, just moved from Texas, and she thought his accent was the cutest thing she'd ever heard.

"Well, I guess I will be. At least I don't have to walk you down the aisle by myself." I said. "Who's the poor guy who will be holding me up so I don't fall?" I laughed. Alice went silent for a moment. In those few seconds I knew. I sat up. "It's him, isn't it?" I breathed.

"Yes," she confirmed. "Edward is Jasper's best man." I dropped my cell phone.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

I sat on my bed, not moving. My eyes moved down to look at my phone and I realized that the battery had come apart from the phone. I'm sure Alice was trying to call me back, but frankly, I was glad she couldn't get through.

"Edward." The name moved through me like a strong drink, burning at my throat and spreading, only instead of giving me warmth, I only felt the cold seeping in. How long had it been since I had allowed myself to even think his name?

Edward was Alice's step-brother. I'll never forget the first time I laid eyes on him. Alice had invited me over to her house for the first time to work on an English paper we had been assigned. We were new friends, but we hit it off right away. I had just moved from Phoenix, and socially awkward as I was, I was really glad to have found a new friend in her. I tried not to be intimidated by the huge house as we walked in, and most importantly, not to break anything. We had just finished up the first draft of our report when Alice asked if I wanted something to drink.

"Sure, a water would be great." I replied. She nodded and gracefully got up from our pile of papers on the floor.

"Be right back," she said. I was gathering up my things when I heard her yell, "Hey Bella, get down here! I'm getting hungry, so I'm calling to order a pizza. I can't eat it alone!"

I giggled to myself. "Be right down!" I tried to remember the way we got up to her room, but the house was bigger than I remembered. As I turned a corner to come to what I thought would be the stairs, I instead found a shiny, huge black grand piano in the middle of a handsome room. I sighed. I _loved_ the piano. I had always wanted one but my mom couldn't afford one back home, and the only instruments my dad ever bought were from a camping store, mostly of the fishing variety.

I knew nobody was home, but I still looked around to make sure nobody was coming. I sat down at the piano and opened it up to reveal the glistening ivory keys. I touched middle C, and the sound was a clear and true. Somebody in Alice's family must play, because this piano was in perfect condition. I heard Alice's phone ring downstairs (the Sex & the City theme, it was hard to miss) and heard her chattering away. I took that as my opportunity to take a couple of minutes with the piano.

I had never had formal lessons, but I had taught myself how to play just by reading music and memorizing the keys. I really only knew one piece that I could play decently, and that was Fur Elise. I started playing, slowly, as it came back to my memory and fingers. By the third repeat I was so into it and improving the speed so much that I didn't hear him come into the room. I don't know how long he stood there, but when I took my hands off the keys and got up to leave the room, a pair of golden hazel eyes were staring back at me.

Of course, I jumped, promptly tripped backwards over the piano bench, and fell straight on my butt. HARD.

The strange (and extremely handsome) guy rushed over and pulled me up by my hands. His grip was firm, but his hands were cold, like as if he'd been holding a cold bottle of water. I felt a buzz of electricity at his touch, so of course, I jumped back again, bumping the back of my head into the wall behind me. After this, he took a step away from me, as if to let me get a grip before sending me into panic mode again. He had a smile on his face though.

"Are you alright?" he asked, his golden eyes boring into mine. I swear I had to remind myself to breathe in front of this beautiful guy.

"Yeah, nothing I haven't done before." I mumbled. I couldn't hold his gaze anymore, so I looked down and saw the reason that his touch had been cold. There was a glass of water with ice cubes spilled all over the wooden floor.

I was mortified. "Oh no! Let me clean that up, just need to find some towels.." I started towards him, slipped on the water and he caught me before I fell. I looked up at him and I know my lips parted. I didn't mean for them to, they just did. He looked down at me and we both stood still for a second. I felt his grip on me tighten ever so slightly.

Alice's voice broke through my foggy mind. "Wow Edward, I can't even send you to bring my friend a simple glass of water?" she said. We both automatically stepped back from another, but his eyes never left me.

"I'm sorry Alice. I think I scared her.." he said.

"And then I tried to tear your room apart," I finished for him. He mouth went up in a crooked smile, and he ran his hands through his messy hair. I wondered if it was soft, or crispy due to hair product... my fingers itched to touch it.

Alice looked at me, then looked back at Edward, sizing up the situation. I could feel my face burning bright red. Her face broke out into a big grin. "It's fine Bella! A little water never hurt anyone. Edward, would you like to join us? Seeing as though you already scared her, the least you could do is go pick up the pizza for us, bro-ther!" she said, accenting each syllable.

I stole a glance at Edward. "Brother?" I asked.

Those eyes looked back at me. "Yes, I'm Alice's brother. Step brother actually. And I'd love to join you for pizza, um?" He looked at me questioningly.

"Bella, my name is Bella." I said, flustered.

"Well, nice to meet you officially, Bella." He said, offering his hand. I took it and felt that same electric shock I felt before when our skin touched. His fingers grazed mine ever so slightly as we let go, and I felt goosebumps on my arms. He smirked. "I'll be back with that pizza," he said.

As he left the room, I turned and looked back at Alice, who was now beaming. I just rolled my eyes at her. "Don't get any ideas, Alice." I said.

"What?" she said innocently. "He likes you, I can tell."

"Yeah, sure he does." I mumbled. What was there to like? I was no more special than any other girl at Forks High School. I had muddy brown eyes, wavy hair, was pale as a ghost, and dressed comfortably, which in guy talk, meant not showing my boobs and legs every chance I got. I was pretty much invisible.

Alice walked over to me. "Bella, that is the first time I've seen him show interest in a girl since we moved here. Think what you want, but he's into you. I can say that with certainty."

"Let's just go downstairs," I said, changing the subject.

But she was right. Beginning that night, we exchanged numbers. Then stayed up talking all night.. then progressed to our first date, then our first kiss. We had a real relationship. My first ever real relationship. Sure, I was a little green on the whole boyfriend/girlfriend thing, but we worked it out. He was much more confident than I was, so many times when I was in a dilemma, he would just tell me what I needed to do. Sometimes, I admit, he would work things out in his favor, but I loved him so much I couldn't get upset with him. I loved him with every fiber of my being, and I would've done anything for him.

When graduation came along, he, along with Alice, got accepted to Dartmouth, their dad's alma mater. I was astounded by my good fortune that I got accepted also. But this is where it all fell apart.

He said as much as he loved me, school was going to be very demanding for the both of us, and that we shouldn't limit our college experience to each other. I was devastated and wanted to beg him to reconsider, but in my mind, I knew he was right. What would he want with me when there was a whole, better world out there? If he was going to leave me now, better sooner and on sort of my terms than him breaking up with me for someone else in six months. Alice begged me to come with them, but I didn't want to make their lives awkward, no matter how much I loved them. I promptly applied to the University of Seattle, and there I went. My first semester went by in an almost zombie like state. My second, third, and fourth was pretty much the same. Around my third year, I started feeling somewhat normal again. Now, I was home at my dad's on Thanksgiving break of my senior year, and Alice's wedding would be over Christmas break. I had no idea what to do, but I knew that I wouldn't let Alice down. Resigned, I stood up to put my phone back together.

"Bella!" my dad called from downstairs. "I don't know much about turkeys, but I think it needs to be squirted with it's juice or something.." he grumbled.

I shook my head. "On my way down, dad." His best friend Billy and his son Jacob were coming over for Thanksgiving dinner. It would be nice to see Jacob again. Every time I had come home the past couple of years, I made sure to leave the visits so short that I never saw anyone. Last time I saw Jacob, he must've been16, a scrawny kid with long hair, but with a smile that could light up the whole room. It'd be nice to be around such a warm person again. He'd definitely help me stop thinking depressing thoughts, if even for a couple of hours.

I looked in the mirror and wiped some moisture away from my eyes. I promised myself I wouldn't cry anymore. Life went on around me, and it was time to catch up, even if my heart was still with Edward. I would just carry on with the pieces that were left. I took my hair out of it's ponytail, changed into a nicer, more 'company' type top (i.e., not a t-shirt), and went downstairs.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

As I went downstairs, I put my phone back together. Without taking the time to read the dozens of text messages in my inbox from Alice, I wrote her a quick text letting her know that I was fine and that we'd talk later. I turned my phone off after that.

I walked past my dad in the living room, who of course was watching the usual Thanksgiving football games. "All alone?" I asked.

He didn't take his eyes off the screen as he replied. "Billy and Jake are on their way." I nodded and continued on into the kitchen. He turned back. "Oh, Bells, they don't make a big deal of Thanksgiving, so don't make a big fuss over it. They mostly coming over for the game"

I nodded. "Got it, dad." Wasn't hard to understand why. On this note, I figured I ought to make some non-traditional food, so I threw in some mac and cheese for good measure. As I was finishing up the meal, I thought about Jacob. I really was looking forward to seeing him. Sure, he was a little younger, and we hadn't spoken in over a year either, but he was just one of those types of friends that you always picked up where you had left off. I had known Jake since I was 5 years old, and we always seemed to have a good time together. We actually started getting pretty close before I started dating Ed-.. my ex. Then we just lost touch really quick. Truth be told, they didn't seem to be too fond of each other. My ex always wanted me to quit talking to him, and somehow, we ended up not really talking after awhile. Not in a bad way, just distant.

As if on cue, I heard the front door open and two men's voices start talking over the sports music. I was disappointed. I guess Jake didn't come after all. Sounded like Harry had instead. I sighed and turned back to the living room to say hello. Before I could another step I bumped straight into what felt like a rock wall of a person and knocked my forehead on their necklace. "Ow." I mumbled and as I peeked through my lashes, all I saw was a black t shirt and the muscles swelling underneath it. The russet skin of this person made me feel like an albino.

Confused, I took a step back and looked straight up at a blinding white smile and twinkling black deep set eyes. I knew that smile and the glossy black hair tied back into a short ponytail, but the rest of this person was a stranger... boy was definitely not the word to describe him. He had some sort of tribal tattoo sticking out from under his shirt sleeve, and his dark denim jeans fit him as if they were made for him. "Jacob?" It came out as a question.

"Bella!" he exclaimed and caught me up into a huge hug. My feet were no longer touching the floor and my whole body was pressed into his warm one. Something about it, though innocent, made me want to blush. What happened to the Jacob I knew? This Jacob could only be described as a man, and not a bad looking one at that. Wait, why was I even thinking about that? So strange..

"It's good to finally see you again," he said, squeezing me before he put me down. I couldn't help but return the huge smile he gave me.

"You too, Jake. What the hell happened to you? You're like, buff, now. Aren't teenagers supposed to be scrawny?"

He snorted. "Age is just a number baby. And no. I'm about to be legal. 21 years old in a couple of weeks." he smiled. There goes that phrase again, in a couple of weeks. Ugh.

He noticed my mood change. "Hey, Earth to Bella. You alright?" he asked, looking a little concerned. I shook it off.

"I'm fine. Just threw me for a loop. You look completely different!" I exclaimed.

"Well what did you expect? I haven't seen you in like 3 years! Either way, it's a Quileute thing. Most of us sprouted up during the summer."

"I can see that." I said pointedly. He raised his eyebrow at me, and I started to blush. "No, I just mean that..." My stuttering was cut off by his laughter. I shook my head and (very ineffectually) shoved him away from me. "Oh, shutup Jacob." I said, trying not to grin.

He threw his sinewy arm over my shoulders, his warm skin warming the places it touched my bare arms and neck. I hadn't touched a guy in anyway, even as casual as this, in so long... I was confused by my body's reaction. My heartbeat accelerated and and I had the urge to lean into him, but I forced myself to stay rigid. Throughout this mini internal freakout, Jacob of course hadn't noticed a thing. "Let's take you to go say hi to my dad. He missed you, you know."

I started walking towards Billy. "I'm sure he did." I said sarcastically.

He stopped walking and looked down at me. "Honey, he did. We both did. You're easy to miss." he said, his dark eyes burning into mine.

I felt my traitorous face start heating up again. "Well, thanks. But I have a feeling that has more to do with my mad cooking skills." I laughed.

Jacob leaned into me and gave me a quick kiss on the top of my head. "Got that right, darlin. Hopefully now that you're around you can fatten me up a bit!" he laughed, picking up his shirt and patting his stomach. I got a funny feeling in my stomach as I saw the defined muscles of his abs under the waistband of his underwear. This was so strange. I'd forgotten how affectionate he was. It never bothered me before, but now that I was so aware of him physically, I felt a little uncomfortable at each touch. Not in a bad way, exactly.. more because I had only ever wanted one guy to touch me, and that was Edward. This warm, funny feeling was all new to me. While Edward had mesmerized me and I felt like a deer in headlights most of the time, Jacob was warm and easy to be around. I already felt like I wanted to be closer to him, to see what it felt like, but I pushed that thought out of my head.

I shook my head to clear it. "Well, you always did eat like a wild animal." I teased.

"Grrrr baby!" he guffawed. I laughed and went to go say hi to Billy.


	4. Chapter 4

_Here I go again at my first attempt at a fanfic. Thanks for reading!_

Chapter Four

Getting reacquainted with the Blacks was as easy as breathing. As a girl who was never really comfortable with the girly-girls, I have to admit it was a nice change of pace. Jacob was warm and goofy, yet I felt at ease with him immediately, even after all this time. Billy was always great too. He had an almost regal presence, but at the end of the day was just another one of the silly boys. I truly was sad when it was time for them to leave.

As I was wrapping up some leftovers for them to take home (I'm quite sure Billy nor Jacob eat much more than sandwiches), Jacob walked over to the sink and started washing the empty pots and dishes.

"Jake, you really don't have to do that." I objected.

"Too late!" he called over his shoulder. I shook my head.

"I guess.." It's not that I particularly like doing dishes, but I like having things to do. Too much downtime gave me too much time to dwell on things, like seeing _him_ at the wedding in a couple of weeks. Ugh. I finished wrapping everything up and went to dry the dishes Jake was placing on the dish rack. I suddenly felt very small and cold next to his tall frame and warm body.

"Thanks for helping, Jake." I said, not looking at him.

"Not a problem, Bells. It was really good to see you again." he said, looking down at me.

I looked up at his wide smile and couldn't help but grin back. "Yeah, you too Jake. We needed some life in this house." I said.

"So I hear," Jacob said under his breath. I wasn't sure if I was supposed to hear that, but I got the message. I guess my dad had been worried about me this last few months. I immediately felt bad that I put my dad through that worry.

Jake nudged me out of my somber thoughts with his broad shoulder. "So will I see you again before you go back to Seattle?" I shouldn't have been so jumpy, I was so unused to body contact at this point that I couldn't help but jump. The wet plate I was holding slipped out of my hands and I scrambled to catch it. Before I knew it, Jacob had reached out and steadied both me and the plate in my hands, his warm hands over mine and one arm around my waist. I immediately stepped away, face burning.

He chuckled and finished the dishes while I wiped my hands on a nearby towel and sat down. I saw him looking at me out of the corner of my eye so I turned and looked at him frostily. "What?"

He grinned. "Nothing. Just good to know that you're the same old Bella."

"Yup." I agreed. Same, regular, klutzly, graceless, lonely old me. I sighed. It doesn't take a wizard to figure out why Edward didn't want me anymore.

"I have to said though, I much prefer happy Bella to the droopy one," Jacob said.

I snapped my head up. "Droopy? What the hell Jake, how am I droopy?"

He shook his head sadly. "The sighing, the pout.. it's all droopy. Not like my girl Bella. The Bella I knew was in the living room. This one's all jumpy." He turned away and put the final dry dish in it's correct place. I arched my eyebrow at him and waited for it... and a second later, he peeked out at me without turning his head, and I caught him. I burst into giggles. I couldn't help it, the guy just always knew how to make me laugh.

"Alright, I better get going. Gotta get home before the rain starts in and Billy's wheelchair gets wet in the back of the truck." I nodded. "Can I call you?" he asked.

"Of course you can." I replied. I told him my number and he programmed it into his phone. He put it back in his pocket and walked to the living room. We all said our goodbyes and Billy made me promise to cook him some of my famous meatloaf as soon as possible. My dad and I walked them out and I stood looking after them after they pulled away from our house. I smiled. Good ol' Jake.

"Good kid," Charlie said. I turned around. I thought Charlie had gone inside already.

I nodded. "Yeah, he is. I missed him." I admitted.

Charlie's eyes shot to mine, searching for something... I'm not sure what. Then nonchalantly, he said, "Yeah, well I know they missed you too. You should spend some time with them over your break. They're good people."

"I just might do that Dad," I said as we walked back inside. I looked back to see a small smile on my dad's face. "Well, I'm beat. I'm going to bed," I told him.

"Me too. After Sportscenter." he replied, sitting down on the couch again. I rolled my eyes at him and went upstairs to take a shower.

When I was done and laid down in bed, I remembered my damn cell phone and Alice. Ugh, she must have blown up my phone by now. I turned the power on and laid back in bed. I was right. There were about 20 text messages all from her, but I ignored them in favor at the one on the top of my texts list, from an unknown number.

_Hey Bells, just wanted you to have my number. Thanks again for the grub, it was GO-OD! -Jacob._

I immediately remembered his line earlier about 'fattening him up' and the abs I saw. Geez Bella, get a grip. I texted him back.

_Good to know Jake. Dinner was fun. Thanks for coming by._

He replied back almost immediately. _You won't get complaints from me. I'm yours anytime you want me ;)_

Was he flirting with me? Or joking? I was so out of the loop when it came to communicating with the opposite sex. I didn't want to give him the wrong idea, but I didn't want to be rude either. _Yeah, yeah. I'll keep that in mind when the driveway is snowed in and I need a shoveler. :)_

_Ha ha._ he replied. _Well, I have an early day tmrw so I gotta go, but maybe we can hang out tmrw nt?_

I thought about it. Why not? Otherwise it'd just be me and my depressing thoughts. Charlie had the night shift this week and honestly I'd feel better not being in the house alone in the dark.

_Sure Jake. I'll be here, I don't have any plans so just come by whenever._

_Sounds good. _He replied. _I'll go by around 7, is that ok?_

_That's fine._ I texted back.

_K. I'll bring a dvd. Gnite beautiful. Sweet dreams._

I shook my head. Beautiful my ass. '_Night Jake. _

I slid my phone closed. I'd deal with Alice tommorow. I was in a good mood for once and I didn't want to mess it up by talking about any of that wedding awkwardness, though I really did need to figure out what I needed to do. Seeing Edward was inevitable, but there had to be a way to make it as least awkward as possible. I could stand seeing him, barely, that was for sure, but what if he had a date? The thought hadn't occured to me. Ugh. I flipped over in my bed. Seeing him would be hard, but seeing him with some gorgeous, modern, chic girl from NYC would kill me. I'm sure I'd get looks of pity from people and I don't know if I could stand that.

Maybe if I brought someone with me.. but who could I possibly bring? I'd been living like a hermit and barely said two words to anyone back at school in Seattle. I saw the glow of my cell phone charging and picked it up again. Jacob. A lightbulb went off in my head. I could take Jacob with me! Edward never really liked him anyway, and with his new looks, it would definitely take Edward by suprise. I wasn't a vindictive person, and I didn't want to take Jacob to spite him, but if I were to go and see him with someone else, I know I'd fall apart and the whole reason I was supposed to be there was for Alice's wedding. And Jake seemed to make me feel at ease in almost any situation.

I realized the plan I was scheming in my head and stopped myself. Get over it Bella. First of all, you'd never have the guts to pull it off, second, who's to say he would travel with you across the country anyway? And not least of all, what would Charlie say? Or Jacob think?

I must be crazy for sure, I thought. I drifted off to sleep thinking of my friend's smile though.. and couldn't help the small smile that tugged at my lips in the dark.


	5. Chapter Five

_Okay, so I know it's been forever. I started a new job but am now on summer break so I hope to resume this story. Thanks for reading!_

Chapter Four

The next morning I woke up and out of habit, the first thing I did was check my phone to see what time it was. Instead, I saw '5 missed calls' on the screen. Ugh, Alice. I'd have to talk to her sooner or later, she wasn't one to be ignored. I threw myself back on my bed and sighed. Right on cue, my phone lit up again. Alice. Might as well get it over with. "Hello?" I asked timidly.

"Isabella Marie Swan! I'm going to kill you!" she shrieked.

"I know, I know, I'm sorry, but in my defense, you dropped a bomb on me and then it was Thanksgiving, so I got busy." Well, it was true.

"Okay Bella, I'm going to pretend that you didn't just ignore me for a day and a half. Seriously, though, are you okay? I knew it was going to be hard for you, but you know how close he and Jasper are. There was nothing I could do! The last thing I want to do is make you uncomfortable, but it's just something that can't be helped and I'm so sorry I blindsided you-" she rambled.

"Okay, okay!" I cut her off. "I know Alice. You don't have to explain. It's perfectly logical. It was just a shock. I'll be fine." I assured her. I didn't know for sure how 'fine' I would actually be, but if only I could get Jake to accompany me, I had a feeling that it wouldn't be a complete disaster.

She was quiet for a moment. I could practically hear her mind working. Alice always seemed to know how things would turn out.. well, except for Edward and I's breakup. I got no warning on that one. "Well, okay," she said reluctantly. "If you don't want to talk about it now, that's fine. You just let me know when you do. In the meantime, your dress is already being made-I'm so glad I used you as a model for my designs! It saved us both a lot of headache since I already have your measurements! Also, when are you done with this semester? I want to fly you out as soon as possible so you can do your final dress fitting and we can do the bachelorette party! Woooooo!" she squealed.

I rolled my eyes. I couldn't help but chuckle. "So that's what this is all about, the bachelorette party!" I told her.

She laughed that tinkling laugh of hers. "Just one of the better perks of getting married. We're going to party our butts off!" It suddenly dawned on me that I was supposed to plan this darn thing. I'd been so busy thinking about my ex that I completely forgot about it. I was just about to ask her about it, but as usual, she was one step ahead of me. "Don't worry Bella. I told you this was the easiest bridesmaid of honor's job ever! I got a limo, I have dinner reservations, and we're going to go club hopping and dance til we drop!" she said.

Dancing, me? Not such a good idea... "Yeah, we'll see about that." I said.

"Oh, I plan on getting you all liquored up beforehand, don't worry." she laughed. "I'll have to drag you down off the tables by force!"

"Alright, that was ONE TIME!" I yelled. "And you spiked my drink!" Ugh, I could still remember that hangover. All I could hear was Alice's guffaws on the other end of the phone line and I couldn't help but join in the laughter. I really did love Alice and despite the circumstances it put me in, I was excited for her to have her wedding day. We exchanged information about flights and hotels, when it suddenly dawned on me.

"Hey Alice," I began. 'Is there anyway you can book me an extra ticket on that flight? I'll send you the money as soon as I can." I asked.

"Oh, geez! Charlie! I completely spaced on his flight, I'm sorry! And don't worry about paying, we have frequent flier miles racked up like crazy." I was about to correct her, but decided to leave it alone. Nobody needed to know my secret plan just yet. 'I'll also book him a room while I'm at it."

"Thanks Alice, you're the best!" I said. She really was. She was living up to her word and making it as effortless and as easy as possible.

"No problem, girl. I can't wait for you to get here." she replied.

"Me either. All I have to do is get through final exams and you'll have me on your doorstep!" I said.

"Lady, I'm going to be so busy planning the last minute details.. I can't wait for you to get her to keep me sane. But for now, I gotta go. I have an early lunch meeting with the caterer and I need to get going if I'm going to make it on time. Talk to you later!" she squealed.

I smiled. "Bye." I sighed, then decided to get a start on breakfast. I made my bed, washed my face, brushed my teeth and then went for my phone to take it with me downstairs. I saw the screen blinking again. That was quick, Alice must've forgotten something...

I listened to my voice mail and heard a husky voice on the other end. "_Hey Bella, it's Jake. Just calling to make sure you don't back out on me tonight. I'll be over about seven and bring some dinner with me. Charlie's supposed to be coming to the rez tonight, so I guess it'll just be me and you. Hope that's okay. I don't bite, well not hard anyway. (he chuckled) See you later."_

I erased the message. Him and I alone in my house made me nervous for some reason. I shook it off and went downstairs to make some breakfast. I had to admit, I was excited to see my friend, but I had no idea how I was going to pull off my plan.


	6. Chapter 6

_Okay, if some of you haven't already noticed, I've edited a couple of the previous chapters just for continuity's sake. I usually just write and post without checking the facts before, i.e., I had them booking the flights in Chapter 5 when I had Alice say she had already taken care of it all in Chapter 1. Stuff like that. Like I said, first time ever fanfic, so please bear with me. I'll work on that. Thanks for reading! :)_

Chapter Six

The rest of the day went by quickly. Charlie left early to go to work, and told me he was going over to Billy's after. I kept myself busy by cleaning up the house and when that was done, I immersed myself in writing my final project of the semester. Since I was majoring in Literature, it was mostly just reading and writing I had to do at this point. I still wasn't sure what I wanted to do after graduation, but for now I was just seeing where life led me. I was just about finished with my first draft when I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket. I looked at the screen and saw another text from Jake. "_K, seriously, should I not come tonight?"_

I bit my lip. Shit. I completely forgot to call him back. "_Sorry Jake. Spaced out doing finals stuff. Yes, come over. You promised to feed me!"_

He texted back "_Alright, pizza and wings it is. That okay?"_

I smiled. "_Yes, and the hotter the wings the better. See you later!"_

_"K, see you in an hour."_ he replied.

Wait, what, an hour? Damn, I hadn't even showered yet! (Nice.) Suddenly feeling panicky, I jumped up and got in the shower. I could feel my heart beating faster, so I calmed myself down with the hot, soapy water. I took the time to shave my legs which was ridiculous, considering how short on time I was and how he would most definitely NOT be seeing them, but whatever. I did it anyway. I got out quickly, dried myself off, and wrapped my hair in a towel on my head while I got out what I was going to wear tonight. I felt stupid even putting thought into it, but I couldn't help but think about it. Finally, I just chose my favorite worn-in jeans, a black, racer back tank top and my cheap $5 flip flops which I loved.

I looked at the clock. 6:35 pm. Crap. I put my favorite fruity-smelling lotion on (so NOT a perfume person, even though I loved it on guys), put just the slightest bit of product in my hair so it wouldn't get frizzy, and then did my usual makeup routine which consisted of concealer, mascara and flavored lip gloss or balm. I was not a girly girl and never would be. The only feminine thing I actually spent money on was my lingerie. Keep in mind, no one ever saw them, so some may say it was a waste of money but I couldn't help it. I loved the way the beautiful garments looked in the store and felt, and since I always was so plain on the outside, it made me feel a little better to know I wasn't so plain under my clothes. I shook my head as I remembered Alice always teasing me that I may as well wear granny panties and sports bras since my lingerie never saw the light of day. For today I picked out a black and nude lacy racer back bra and matching black and nude panties. It may be weird, but it was my thing.

As I looked one last time in the mirror, I thought "_That's as good as it's gonna get_," and went downstairs to get my favorite hoodie. 6:50 pm. I should probably make some dessert. Lord knows Jake never turns down food. I remembered buying the stuff to make strawberry shortcakes in at the grocery store earlier in the week. I meant to make them for Thanksgiving, but we just ate the pies instead. So I got to work making them, which really wasn't any work at all. The mini angel cakes were already baked and the glaze was pre-made, so I just had to assemble them. I had just shaken the Reddi-whip can of whipped cream and was about to apply it to the shortcakes when I heard a knock at the front door and then it opened. I spazzed out at the same time I pressed the nozzle and little bits of whipped cream spurted all over my face. "Honey, I'm home!" Jake called as he walked towards the kitchen.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

_'Ugh, only me!_' I thought to myself as I grabbed a paper towel and wiped my face. I heard his footsteps getting closer so I turned around and again, was taken aback by my old friend's appearance and how I had to look up to look him in the face. He was carrying a pizza box and wings in one arm and a six pack of beer in the other. Great.. like I wasn't klutzy enough on my own without alcohol impairing me further! As always, he was wearing a worn in t shirt and some dark jeans. Suprisingly, I found myself thinking about Edward. Edward had always worn the best clothes, slacks, sweaters, suits even, all designer and all costing more for one piece than my whole wardrobe put together (excluding my lingerie, of course.) Jake kept it simple, but something about the way his shirt hugged his torso and the way his jeans rode low on his hips made it hard to focus. Jesus, I was acting like Jessica Stanley. Get a grip Bella! He's just your friend, and you need him for your wedding weekend "Help me not look pathetic" project.

He put the stuff on the table and then turned to look at me. I felt his eyes rove over my face and my face started burning. I saw the corners of his lips go up to start laughing at me, so I narrowed my eyes at him before he got any further. He bit his lip with those impossibly white teeth of his, coughed back a laugh and finally managed to say with a straight face, "So, what exactly were you trying to put whipped cream on?"

Groaning, I rolled my eyes and turned around and finished applying the Reddi-Whip to the shortcakes. "Dessert." I said. "Keep it up and you won't get any." I challenged.

He held his hands up in mock surrender. "Alright, alright, I'll be good, dessert nazi" he said. I put the finished shortcakes in the fridge and got some plates out for the food. As I handed Jake his, he reached over and put his hand on my cheek. I instantly froze and felt my eyes get big. His hand was callused, but warm, and I felt his thumb slowly skim across the top of my lip. "Missed a spot," he grinned, as he licked the whipped cream off his finger. Those stupid butterflies returned to my stomach. Traitors.

I cleared my throat and mumbled thanks. Ugh, I was starting to get hot from all the blushing. I took my hoodie off and threw it on the back of the chair. He sure had a way of flustering me, but I was sure he wasn't doing it on purpose. That was just Jake. He was the same he'd always been, but now that he was all grown up, everything was different. Not in bad way.. just, different.

"Can we eat outside?" he asked. "It's a nice night. Besides, I've been cooped up in the garage all day and could use some fresh air."

"Sounds good to me," I said, thankful for the distraction. We took everything to the back yard to where our old picnic table stood. I swear, that thing was indestructible. It really was a nice night, though. The moon was full, the stars were out, and there was a slight breeze in the air. For once, it wasn't humid, raining, or about to rain. I turned Charlie's old beaten up radio on and we sat and ate. It took us thirty minutes to get through the food, and another thirty to finish the beers. Jacob caught me up on all the small town gossip. I had absolutely nothing interesting to tell him about Seattle, since I had little to no social life. He really was easy to talk to.. it was like our friendship had never left off. His dark eyes twinkled with mischief even as we were sitting down and his laughter was contagious. The breeze in my hair and the alcohol working its magic finally made me relax. I was just taking the first swig out of my last beer when he asked me if I was dating anyone. I choked on my beer and spit it everywhere, of course.

He looked at me with a raised eyebrow and handed me a napkin. "You alright shorty? It was just a simple question, no need to be all dramatic about it." He grinned and put his beer bottle to his lips and drank.

I took a deep breath and did the same. "No, no, just caught me off guard, that was all."

His dark eyes found mine. "So is that a no?"

I found myself looking down, and cleared my through. "Um, no. Not dating anyone. You?" I hadn't even thought about it, but if he was dating someone, there was no way I could bring him to the wedding with me. I couldn't look him in the eye, so I busied myself by taking a longer swig from my beer.

"Nope." he replied. "Single as they come." I looked back at him, confused.

"Really?" I questioned. "How is that possible?' I thought.

"How's what possible?" he asked. Fuck.. I said that out loud, didn't I. Stupid beer.

"Er, I mean, aren't there more girls on the reservation than guys? Don't the mothers try to marry you guys off early?" I smirked.

He shook his head. "Unfortunately, yes.. but I stay away from all that. I'm not interested in any girls on the rez. You date one, she's already dated one of your friends. It's kinda creepy."

I laughed. "Yeah, I guess I can see that." I took in a deep breath. Since Jacob was single, it made my plan all that much easier. I put arm up to brush the hair out of my face, a simple thing for most people. But of course, it being me, my elbow knocked over my beer, and when I bent over fast to pick it up, I lost my balance and fell flat on my butt. Luckily, the grass was thick but it still hurt like a mother. I heard Jake laughing like a crazy person and decided to save whatever dignity I had left and laid down on the ground.

"You, my friend, are a cheap drunk." he laughed as he pulled me into a sitting position.

"Shut it Black." I replied. "We can't all be huge like you.. 3 beers hits me faster. Why did you buy beer anyway?" I rambled.

He shrugged. "Cause I like beer." He tried pulling me up, but when I didn't cooperate, he picked me up bridal style and suddenly the whole world was made up of the starry sky, his soft t-shirt, his hard muscles, and the faint scent of his cologne as he carried me somewhere. I felt myself get a little woozy, though if it was the booze or him, I wasn't sure which. I rolled my eyes and groaned. "Hey, you okay?" he asked. "I really didn't mean to get you buzzed."

"No, I'm fine," I said. "Just drank a little fast, I guess." He nodded and put me down in the hammock between the two largest trees in the backyard.

"Just relax," he said. I did as he asked and he sat down in a lawn chair nearby. We sat there, quiet for a little while. I looked up at the stars and tried to find the Big and Little Dipper, and failed, as always.

"Do you know where the Big Dipper is?" I asked. "I can never find it, and the leaves in the trees aren't helping." He looked up.

"Can't ever find the Big Dipper?" he repeated. "Wow, you palefaces sure are slow." he said sadly. "Make room for me and I'll show you."

Without even thinking, I nodded and tried to adjust myself to make room for him without flipping us both over. After a lot of giggling on my part, he finally put his left arm under my head and fit with me in the hammock. It felt nice, and he was so warm, as always. I forced myself not to overthink this and ruin it. I tended to freak out whenever guys got too close to me. I don't know if it was the beer, or what, but I just melted into his side. It felt nice to be close to somebody again.

"There, you see?" he said, his arm pointing up. There's the B.D. How can you miss that? It's right in front of your face, loca."

I brought my head closer to his so I could see from his point of view. I recognized the constellation and smiled. "Yup! There it is.. finally. Sorry.. sometimes I have a hard time noticing what's in front of me because I'm too distracted by other things." I murmured.

He turned his head toward me, and I could feel the question in the air.. was I talking about the stars, or about him? Who the hell knew. All I knew was that I was comfortable, relaxed, and happy in his presence. I didn't want to ruin it. I needed him, I could feel it already. Luckily, he left it alone and started rubbing my shoulder with his free hand. "Yup, just like I said. Slow."

I elbowed him and we just sat there for another little while. He showed me more constellations, and in turn, I would tell him the stories behind some of them. That I did know. The hammock was rocking and I was just finished telling him about the constellation Orion when I noticed that he had been quiet for a little too long. I looked over at him.. he was asleep. I stifled a giggle. "Jake?" I whispered. He didn't move, he slept like a rock apparently.

I took advantage of the situation and looked at his sleeping face in the moonlight. A strand of his hair had come loose from his ponytail and had fallen across his cheek. I brushed it away, and it was surprisingly soft.. softer than my hair, even. I guess that's what happens when you don't use styling products. He had a full set of long eyelashes that I immediately was jealous of. His skin was so tan, yet so clear. His nose hinted of his ancestry, and his full lips... well, I just stopped there.

If he agreed to come with me to the wedding, I would definitely be the envy of other women there, but that's not why I wanted him to go with me. I knew he would make me feel comfortable and safe over there, even with Edward in the same room. If I could be skin to skin with him now, and be okay with it, after way too long of not touching another man, I knew without a doubt he could help me through. I knew I was developing a serious attraction to him, but I had to put those feelings aside and focus on the matter at hand. I needed his help and there was no way I would mess that up with messy attraction stuff. I definitely didn't want him to feel uncomfortable around me, since he thought of me only as a friend, so then and there I vowed to keep my feelings hidden away. I'd find a way to make this work, but I only had a very short time to figure out how. I set to work thinking about it, and found myself drifting off to sleep in his arms.

_Thanks for reading! Next chapter will be Jacob's POV. Feel free to suggest any plot points :) Like I said, I literally make it up as I type, no thinking ahead. It'd be fun to incorporate some ideas!_


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

Bella was home. It was nothing new, she was known to make an appearance during the holidays or summer, but she never stayed long enough to see anyone. I started to wonder why this time was different, but not long enough for it to get in the way of me just being happy to see her.

Thanksgiving was great. When I walked in, she only came up to my chest and her eyes were as big as saucers. It had been awhile since we'd seen each other, and I forgot how much I'd changed in the years we hadn't seen each other. Last time I saw her she was head over heels with Edward Cullen. I never knew why she was so crazy over him. It wasn't healthy, the way she followed him around, and the way he got her to do everything his way. Because of him, I pretty much lost my childhood friend for several years, so I wasn't his biggest fan. It was obvious how hard she took their breakup. I saw it in her eyes the second I saw her in Charlie's kitchen yesterday, and again when I walked in today. "Honey I'm home!" I yelled.

She turned around and I could see her teeth biting down on her bottom lip, a habit as old as time, but it didn't distract me from the whipped cream all over her face. I started to laugh until I saw her "mad" face.. so I stopped by biting down on my lip Bella style. She looked so cute all huffy, eyes bright, breathing heavily, back straight as a board. It was so much better seeing her with fire in her eyes, instead of the lifelessness Charlie had told me about. I pushed my luck and put my hand on her cheek. She froze instantly, but didn't pull away. Her lip was smooth and pink and soft as I removed the whipped cream from her lip and then licked it off my finger. Her eyes followed my movements and her mouth opened slightly. I got the feeling I made her nervous so I stepped away and chuckled.

She took a deep breath as a blush colored her face and took her hoodie off and tossed it on the chair. It _was_ kind of warm in here. "Do you mind if we eat outside?" I asked her.

"Sounds good to me" she replied, and she started taking the food outside. I took the opportunity to watch her as we walked outside.. I'd forgotten how slender she was under the layers of clothes she wore. She was slender but had lots of curves, and her hair tumbled down her back. Her skin was pale as always, and her face just as beautiful or even more than the first time I saw her at 6 years old, just matured, wiser, and more fragile. Her eyes told me she was still hurt and scared from whatever she went through. All I knew is that I wanted to see her smile again. And yeah, alright, maybe I still had that crush on her. But I really just wanted to see her happy, I wouldn't push her too far. I only wanted to push her buttons enough to see the light in her eyes. Man, I am thinking like a total girl. If the guys on the rez could hear my thoughts, I'd be a dead man.

We ate our food and shared the beers and talked until we were both buzzing and happy in the night breeze. It suddenly dawned on me that I didn't know if she was seeing anyone, and I had to ask. Her reply was to choke on her beer. I looked at her like she was crazy and passed her a napkin. "It was just a simple question, no need to be all dramatic about it," I teased and finished off the last sip of my beer.

She was quiet a moment, and then cleared her throat. "Um, no, not dating anyone. You?" she replied, refusing to meet my eyes.

"Nope, single as they come." I replied. I grinned to myself, thinking it was a nice coincidence.

"Really?" she mumbled. "How's that possible?"

Hmm... interesting. "How's what possible?" I asked.

"Er, I mean, aren't there more girls on the reservation than guys? Don't the mothers try to marry you guys off early?" she grinned.

Ugh, so true. And creepy. I explained to her just that, and she understood. She let out a deep breath, brushed the hair out of her face and promptly knocked over her beer and fell on her butt. I laughed until tears came down my cheeks. "You, my friend, are a cheap drunk." I told her while I picked her up bridal style and put her down in the softest place possible, the hammock. She started looking up at the stars and trying to find the constellations... 'tried' being the operative word. I negotiated entrance into the hammock with her... not to be a perv! Mostly to show her what she couldn't see.. and alright, a small part of me just wanted to be close to her. She snuggled up against me as it was the only way we would both fit. Her body molded into me, and I could smell her shampoo. I could feel her breathing against me. We kept talking and it seemed like our world was just made up of stars and us laying together, so much that I drifted off to sleep. And I was a very happy man as I feel asleep. I didn't know what was going on between Bella and I, or if there was anything at all going on, for all I knew, I was still in the "friend zone" I was in years ago, but all I knew that if this was what it was like being around her, I definitely wanted more of it.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

I woke up to the sun blinding me through the open curtains. Ugh, I must have forgotten to close them last night. Groaning, I clumsily get up to do so, feeling a bit woozy on my feet. My mind is fuzzy.. I don't even remember coming up to bed last night. Last thing I remember, Jake and I were in the hammock.

As I walk back to my bed, I catch a glance of myself in the mirror and gasp when I see that I am only wearing panties and nothing else. What in the hell? I usually sleep in some sort of camisole and panties.. I start looking around the room for my clothes from last night and see my shirt on the floor by the door, my pants in the middle of the floor, and my bra on my nightstand. Oooo-kayy… weird. I shrug as I get back into bed. I guess when Jake left I was still buzzing and just threw my clothes off. I flop over to my favorite sleeping position.

I'm racking my brain trying to remember how I got from point A to point B when I feel my phone vibrating from somewhere under me. I find it and answer, not caring who it was since I was distracted. "Hello?" I croak.

"Hey sleeping beauty," his husky voice teases me. "Did I wake you?" he innocently asks.

I sigh. "No. I just woke up a couple of minutes ago. The sun woke me up."

"The sun, really?" he asks. "Maybe you knocked that purple comforter off and woke up because you got cold."

I frowned, confused. "How do you know what color my comforter is?"

"Who do you think covered you when you passed out on your bed almost completely-"

"Oh my God!" I cut him off. I threw the covers over my head.


End file.
